1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a foldable handy electronic device including an upper body and a lower body both of which are designed rotatable to each other such that the electronic device is folded and unfolded, and one of which has a display and the other has an interface through which a user can operate the electronic device.
2. Description of the Related Art
As an example of a foldable handy electronic device, a cellular phone is well known.
A foldable cellular phone is comprised generally of an upper body having a display and a speaker, and a lower body having operation keys and a microphone. After dialing, a user puts his/her ears onto a speaker of the upper body, and speaks to a microphone of the lower body.
FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view of a conventional cellular phone.
The illustrated conventional cellular phone is comprised of a first body 1 corresponding to the above-mentioned upper body, a second body 2 corresponding to the above-mentioned lower body, and a hinge 105 connecting the first and second bodies 1 and 2 rotatably to each other. The first body 1 has a first surface facing the second body 2 when the cellular phone is folded, and the second body 2 has a second surface facing the first body 1 when the cellular phone is folded. The first body 1 includes a display 3 at the first surface, and a screen 5 arranged above the display 3 for protecting the display 3. The second body 2 includes an interface 6 at the second surface. The interface 6 includes a plurality of operation keys 7 arranged on the second surface.
The first body 1 includes a front case 101 facing the second body 2 when the cellular phone is folded, and a rear case 102. Similarly, the second body 2 includes a front case 103 facing the first body 1 when the cellular phone is folded, and a rear case 104.
By rotating the first body 1 by about 180 degrees relative to the second body 2, the display 3 and the interface 6 are exposed to a user such that the user can look at the display 3 and operate the cellular phone through the interface 6. By rotating the first body 1 relative to the second body 2 so that the cellular phone is folded as illustrated in FIG. 1, the display 3 and the interface 6 are hidden, and hence, they are protected from being damaged, even if a user drops the cellular phone.
FIG. 2 is an enlarged view of an encircled portion A of the cellular phone.
As illustrated in FIG. 2, the operation keys 7 and the screen 5 are kept spaced away from each other by a clearance S1 such that they do not interfere with each other when the cellular phone is folded.
In the conventional cellular phone illustrated in FIG. 2, the display 3 and the interface 6 face each other when the cellular phone is folded. If the clearance S is not sufficient, the operation keys 7 of the interface 6 would interfere with the display 3 when the hinge 105 is worn out in long use, resulting in that the display 3 is damages at a surface thereof.
If the operation keys 7 are designed to be small in height, it would be possible to keep the clearance S sufficient between the display 3 and the operation keys 7. However, a user might fail to sufficiently compress the operation keys 7, resulting in that a user could not correctly operate the cellular phone.
Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2001-308992 has suggested a cellular phone including a first body, a second body, and a hinge through which the first and second bodies are rotatably connected to each other. The second body includes a main display. An auxiliary display is arranged in the hinge. The auxiliary display is always exposed regardless of whether the cellular phone is folded or unfolded.
Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2001-274880 has suggested a cellular phone including a first body, a second body, and a hinge through which the first and second bodies are rotatably connected to each other. The second body includes a main display. An auxiliary display is arranged in the hinge. The auxiliary display is always exposed regardless of whether the cellular phone is folded or unfolded. Received data is displayed in the auxiliary display, being scrolled every predetermined period of time.
Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2001-186226 has suggested a cellular phone including a first body, a second body, and a hinge through which the first and second bodies are rotatably connected to each other. The first body is designed to have a first liquid crystal display device at a front thereof, and a second liquid crystal display device at a rear thereof.
Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 10-336065 has suggested a cellular phone including a first body, a second body, and a hinge through which the first and second bodies are rotatably connected to each other. The first body includes a speaker, and the second body includes a microphone, operation keys, a substrate on which radio-signal circuits are mounted, and a display.
Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 8-33027 has suggested a cellular phone including a first body, a second body, and a hinge through which the first and second bodies are rotatably connected to each other. The cellular phone is designed to be unfolded in one action of a user.
Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 8-9004 has suggested a cellular phone including a first body, a second body, and a hinge through which the first and second bodies are rotatably connected to each other. The cellular phone is designed to be unfolded, to extend an antenna, and to be put into an off-hook condition in one action of a user.
Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 7-131850 has suggested a cellular phone including a first body, a second body, and a hinge through which the first and second bodies are rotatably connected to each other. The cellular phone is designed to be unfolded by one hand of a user.